Arrangement for supporting a closure member from a track

ABSTRACT

In the titled arrangement, a guide pin which is received by the track is assembled with a retainer with the assembly being carried by a pair of spaced-apart walls connected to the closure member and being axially displaceable relative thereto, the retainer including an arm adapted for selective engagement and disengagement with one of the two spaced-apart walls in accordance with the rotative position of the retainer to hold the assembly in an extended position with the guide member in the track, and to permit the assembly to be axially moved to a retracted position in which the guide member is out of the track.

I United States Patent 1151 3,653,158 Aue et a1. 5] Apr. 4, 1972 54] ARRANGEMENT FOR SUPPORTING A 1,974,946 9/1934 Baughman et al. ..49/421 CLOSURE MEMBER FROM A TRACK 2,442,147 5/1948 Recklitis ..49/418 2,673,113 3/1954 Giordana... ..49/417 X [72] lnvemmsl 3,209,411 10/1965 Sprague, Jr. ..49/450 x bus, both of Oh1o [73] Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pitt- Primary Examiner-David J. Williamowsky sburgh, Pa. Assistant ExaminerPhilip C. Kannan Filed: June 22, 1970 Attorney-F. H. Henson and E. C. Arenz [21] Appl. No 48,055 [57] ABSTRACT In the titled arrangement, a guide pin which is received by the [52] S. Cl --49/ 1 9/465 track is assembled with a retainer with the assembly being car- [5] 1111. C1 ..E05d 13/02 ied by a pair of spaced-apart walls connected to the closure [58] Field of Search ..49/42l,417,418, 419,453, member and being axially displaceable relative thereto, the 49/452 465 retainer including an arm adapted for selective engagement and disengagement with one of the two spaced-apart walls in [56] References cued accordance with the rotative position of the retainer to hold UNITED STATES PATENTS the assembly in an extended position with the guide member 1n the track, and to perm1t the assembly to be axially moved to Turner X a retracted position in the guide member is out of the 2,323,559 7/1943 Mi11s..... track 817,461 4/1906 Adams.. 946,577 1/1910 Marquis ..49/421 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures P'A'TENTEDAPR 4 I972 SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG.

ARRANGEMENT FOR SUPPORTING A CLOSURE MEMBER FROM A TRACK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention pertains to the art of supporting a closure member in readily separable and movable relation with track means.

2. Description of the Prior Art No prior an especially pertinent to the invention is known to applicants.

While the invention is contemplated as being useful in numerous applications, it was developed in connection with the provision of a closure member used in the upper portion of a domestic refrigerator to cover the front face of a space in which articles may be placed to be cooled at a relatively rapid rate, as is explained in some detail in U.S. Pat. application, Ser. No. 22,499 (W.E. Case 41,679). Accordingly, the invention will be described in that connection.

An arrangement for supporting such a closure member in such an environment requires that the support arrangement be relatively simple and inexpensive, that it be fabricated and assembled relatively easily, and that it be adjustable to a degree. It is believed that the arrangement according to the invention meets these objectives quite satisfactorily.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The arrangement for supporting a closure member from the track according to the invention includes, in its broad sense, a guide member and retainer assembly arranged so that the guide member has one end adapted to be received by the track and its other end received by the retainer, a pair of spacedapart inner and outer walls connected to the closure member and lying in planes parallel to the track and normal to the axis of the guide member and retainer assembly, with the walls having registering holes therein to receive the assembly in axially displaceable relation therein, and means carried by the retainer for selective engagement and disengagement with one of the walls in accordance with the rotative position of the retainer to establish an extended position of the guide member so that guide member extends into the track on the one hand, and a retracted position of the assembly so that guide member is out of the track on the other hand.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the guide member and retainer are separable and axially adjustable relative to each other. The assembly is biased toward a retracted position in which the guide member is pulled out of the track when the assembly is placed in a predetermined rotative position relative to the walls. Further details of the structure of the preferred embodiment will be explained hereinafter.

DRAWING DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 is a fragmentary isometric view of a closure member incorporating the invention supported by a track in the upper part of a refrigerator space;

FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the assembly before it is assembled in its operative relation with the two spaced apart walls, which walls are shown in an exaggerated spacing to aid in understanding the invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken through the assembly and walls with the assembly in its extended position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary isometric view, partly in section, showing the assembly in its extended position but in a rotated position relative to the walls to permit the assembly to move to its retracted position; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 but showing the assembly in its retracted position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. I the closure member is shown as comprising a perimetric frame provided with a translucent panel 12. The vertical side members 14 of the frame each carry two guide and retainer assemblies generally designated 16 having outboard ends projecting into the vertical section 18 of the inwardly open track which also includes a horizontal section 20.

The closure member 10 is movable from its illustrated vertical position covering the front of the fast chill space 22 defined behind the closure member, to a horizontal position overlying at least a part of the space 22, by simply raising the enclosure member until the upper assemblies 16 can track rearwardly in the horizontal section 20 and then tilting the closure member rearwardly and elevating its lower edge until both assemblies 16 are in the horizontal section 20 of the track.

It is desirable that the assemblies 16 be easily assembled with the side members 14, that they be adjustable with respect to the projection of the guide portions into the track sections, and that they be adapted to be positioned in a retracted position in which the closure member can be removed from the track sections. The way in which these functions are accomplished in accordance with this invention will be explained following the description of the structure of the assemblies and their relationship to the frame section 14 supporting the assemblies.

Referring now to FIG. 2, each guide member and retainer assembly 16 includes three basic parts. These are the guide pin 24, the retainer 26 and a helical compression spring 28. The spaced apart inner and outer walls 30 and 32, which are connected to the closure member 10 in the sense that they are an integral part thereof, lie in planes which are parallel to the track and normal to the axis of the guide member and retainer assembly. The walls are provided with registering holes 34 and 36 which generally receive the assembly, when assembled, in axially displaceable relation therein. The spaced apart walls 30 and 32 are joined to each other by a web section 38 which lies parallel to and is spaced slightly behind the visible trim flange 40 of the closure member. These walls are shown in exaggerated spaced apart relation in FIG. 2.

The pin 24 includes a head 42 at its outer end which provides a shoulder relative to the shank 44 of the pin, and is externally threaded 46 at its inner end. The hole 36 in the outer wall 32 is sized to freely accommodate the shank portion 44 of the pin.

The retainer 26 includes; a generally planar portion 48 which has a teardrop shape in outline; a bushing portion 50 which is internally threaded to receive the threaded inner end 46 of the pin 24; diametrically opposite arms 52 and 54 which project generally radially from the bushing 50; and a tab 56 projecting away from the inner surface of the planar portion 48. It will perhaps be seen more clearly by referring to FIGS. 3-5 that the opposing faces of the planar portion 48, and the arms 52 and 54, are spaced apart further than the thickness of the inner wall 30. This arrangement is provided so that locking pin 58 carried at the unsecured end of the longer am 54 can be disengaged from the pair of locking holes 60 and 62 (FIG. 2) provided in the inner wall 30.

The diameter of the hole 34 in the inner wall 30 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the bushing 50 on the retainer to freely accommodate that bushing, and diametrically opposite slots 64 and 66 extend away from the hole 34 to accommodate movement of the arms 52 and 54, respectively, through the slots.

To assemble the pin 24, spring 28 and retainer 26, the pin is first inserted through the registering holes 36 and 34 of the outer and inner walls, respectively, until restrained by the shoulder 42 at the end of the pin, the spring 28 is then slipped onto the pin from the inner side of the inner wall 30, and the retainer 26 is then moved into position so that the pin threads 46 and bushing threads are engaged. The retainer is then rotated several times to secure the assembly together. The entire assembly is then axially displaced to its farthest left position (slightly beyond that position shown in FIG. 3) so that the face of the planar portion 48 of the retainer abuts the opposing face of the inner wall 30, with the arms 52 and 54 of the retainer being located in the space between the inner and outer walls. By using a screwdriver in the slot 68 at the threaded end of the pin, the pin is rotated relative to the stationary retainer to adjust the extension of the pin for its subsequent positioning in the track. To hold the retainer in a nonrotative position while the screwdriver is being turned, opposite edge flanges 70 and 72 provided at the edges of the inner wall 30 serve as stops against which the edges of the planar portion 48 bear, irrespective of the direction of rotation of the pin relative to the retainer bushing. To further clarify this adjustment of the retainer relative to the pin, reference should be had to FIG. 3. With the screwdriver point there shown applied in the slot 68 and used to push the entire assembly against the force of the spring 28 farther to the left so that the surface of the planar part 48 abuts the facing surface of the wall 30, it will be apparent that the locking pin 58 will be out of engagement with any part of the wall 30. As the screwdriver is rotated, the friction between the threads will initially cause the retainer to rotate slightly in one direction or another until its edge abuts either the flange 70 or the flange 72 (depending upon the direction of rotation of the retainer). This abutting relationship then holds the retainer against rotation while the pin is rotated relative thereto. It is also noted that the width of the wall 30 is sized relative to the part of the planar portion 48 which abuts the flange, and the locking holes 60 and 62 are accordingly positioned so that upon releasing the screwdriver from the pin, the force of the biasing spring 28 pushes the retainer to the right as shown in FIG. 3 with the locking pin 58 seating in the registering hole 60 or 62.

As noted before, FIG. 4 shows the assembly in the extended position in which the headed end of the pin projects into the track, but without the assembly having been rotated to a position that the locking pin seats in one of the locking holes. The assembly is moved to this position by disengaging the locking pin from whichever locking hole it is in by shifting the entire .assembly to the left against the force of the the left 28, and then rotating the entire assembly to the position shown in FIG. 4 in which the projecting arms 52 and 54 are aligned with the respective slots 64 and 66. Then, upon releasing the assembly, so that the spring 28 forces the entire assembly to the right, the assembly is moved to its retracted position as shown in FIG. 5. In that connection it is noted that the spring 28 is selected to provide sufficient force in the retracted position to hold the assembly in a stable disposition with the shoulder firmly abutting the outer wall 32. By moving all four of the as-- semblies illustrated in FIG. 1 to retracted positions, the closure may be removed from the tracks.

The pin and retainer are preferably formed of plastic and the friction of the thread engagement is such as to prevent the pin from turning as it travels through the tracks. It will be appreciated, of course, that a roller could be provided on the headed end of the pin 42 if desired.

We claim as our invention:

1. An arrangement for supporting a closure member from a track, comprising:

a guide member and retainer assembly, said guide member having one end adapted to be received by said track, and

its other end received by said retainer;

spaced apart inner and outer walls connected to said closure and lying in planes generally parallel to said track and generally normal to the axis of said guide member and retainer assembly, said walls having registering holes therein to receive said assembly in axially displaceable relation therein;

means carried by said retainer for selective engagement and disengagement with said inner wall in accordance with the rotative position of said retainer to establish one and another axially displaced positions of said assembly relative to said walls;

said engaging means carried by said retainer comprises an arm projecting generally radially relative to the axis of said retainer; and

said inner wall includes a slot through which said arm is movable in the axial displacement of said assembly relative to said walls, so that said arm is axlally movable, with said retainer, from a position between said walls for said engagement with said inner wall, to a position on the inner side of said inner wall for said disengagement with said inner wall.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

said guide member and said retainer are separable from each other.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2 including:

means for adjusting said guide member axially relative to said retainer.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1 including:

means biasing said assembly toward an axially displaced position relative to said walls in which said guide member is displaced out of said track.

5. An arrangement according to claim 1 including:

means carried by said arm for engagement with said inner wall to hold said retainer in at least one rotative position relative to said inner wall.

6. An arrangement according to claim 5 including:

means biasing said retainer toward said inner wall.

7. An arrangement according to claim 3 wherein:

said adjusting means comprises external threads on said other end of said guide member, and internal threads in said retainer, and said guide member includes means adapted to be engaged by a tool for rotating said guide member;

spaced apart stop means projecting inwardly from said inner wall; and

means carried by said retainer for engagement with either one or the other of said stop means, when said assembly is axially displaced outwardly, to hold said retainer against rotation while said guide member is rotated relative thereto.

8. An arrangement according to claim 4 including:

shoulder means on said one end of said guide means to prevent complete disengagement of said assembly from said walls when said guide member is displaced out of said track. 

1. An arrangement for supporting a closure member from a track, comprising: a guide member and retainer assembly, said guide member having one end adapted to be received by said track, and its other end received by said retainer; spaced apart inner and outer walls connected to said closure and lying in planes generally parallel to said track and generally normal to the axis of said guide member and retainer assembly, said walls having registering holes therein to receive said assembly in axially displaceable relation therein; means carried by said retainer for selective engagement and disengagement with said inner wall in accordance with the rotative position of said retainer to establish one and another axially displaced positions of said assembly relative to said walls; said engaging means carried by said retainer comprises an arm projecting generally radially relative to the axis of said retainer; and said inner wall includes a slot through which said arm is movable in the axial displacement of said assembly relative to said walls, so that said arm is axially movable, with said retainer, from a position between said walls for said engagement with said inner wall, to a position on the inner side of said inner wall for said disengagement with said inner wall.
 2. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein: said guide member and said retainer are separable from each other.
 3. An arrangement according to claim 2 including: means for adjusting said guide member axially relative to said retainer.
 4. An arrangement according to claim 1 including: means biasing said assembly toward an axially displaced position relative to said walls in which said guide member is displaced out of said track.
 5. An arrangement according to claim 1 including: means carried by said arm for engagement with said inner wall to hold said retainer in at least one rotative position relative to said inner wall.
 6. An arrangement according to claim 5 including: means biasing said retainer toward said inner wall.
 7. An arrangement according to claim 3 wherein: said adjusting means comprises external threads on said other end of said guide member, and internal threads in said retainer, and said guide member includes means adapted to be engaged by a tool for rotating said guide member; spaced apart stop means projecting inwardly from said inner wall; and means carried by said retainer for engagement with either one or the other of said stop means, when said assembly is axially displaced outwardly, to hold said retainer against rotation while said guide member is rotated relative thereto.
 8. An arrangement according to claim 4 including: shoulder means on said one end of said guide means to prevent complete disengagement of said assembly from said walls when said guide member is displaced out of said track. 